One of the popular sayings, attributed to a Chinese General, is “Never start a war you cannot win.” If you are 100 meters runner, do not join a marathon race which you know you cannot win.
This means, to succeed in any endeavor you set out to do, research and about some information before you do it. And they practice. Evaluate your odds of success. Focus on joining competitions that you can win. Do not apply for a job in which you have not understood the company, the key officers who have the decision to accept or reject your application or ones who can take the decision to hire and the criteria they would use. People who collect such background information have more chances of winning than those who just apply anyway and wait.
This wisdom looks basic, but few people apply it in their daily lives and career, as just explained.
Do not start a war with someone you cannot even scratch. If you are holding a stick, and someone confronts you holding a loaded gun, surely what chances do you have to enter such a war? Only fools would start such a war.
That is why I suggest during this #covid19 period, you embrace the Serenity Prayer, which goes:
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
This prayer is powerful as it gives you the peace of mind and gains control over your life.
Take an example of canceled flights due to #coronavirus. No amount of complaining, shouting, or yelling at the travel agency or your itinerary planner would change anything. Your flight schedule and lifestyle has just been disrupted by conditions outside everyone’s control. To be happy, you must accept the losses and wait.
If you have been locked down at home for more days than anticipated, you are better off understanding. No amount of posting abusive messages on social media or shouting at the TV can change anything. Just sit and relax. Keep saying the serenity prayer.
If you made past choices that are responsible for your current life’s problems, you have to accept it and move on. No amount of moaning, orblame games for who did or did not do what can change anything. You must focus on the future, where you will spend the rest of your life.
Use this Sunday to reflect on your life’s choices and your current conditions. List 20 people you think you could approach to help you not only with money but for advice, mentorship or ideas to transform your life. Most of the time, when we ask people easy things, they end up doing the most difficult things we never even imagined.
The most important step is reaching out. Showing interest in the other person. The rest, God will take care of them. Whatever you do, focus on the future. That is where you will spend the rest of your life.
No one can control the choices they made yesterday, today.
But you can control tomorrow, by making the right choices today.
Succeed. May you overcome this #covid19 pandemic stronger and healthier. It depends on your choices today.
Copyright Mustapha B Mugisa, 2020. All rights reserved.
